US2018212026A1PendingUtilityA1

Surface modified diamond materials and methods of manufacturing

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Assignee: MASSACHUSETTS INST TECHNOLOGYPriority: Nov 28, 2016Filed: Nov 28, 2017Published: Jul 26, 2018
Est. expiryNov 28, 2036(~10.3 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Theodore H. FedynyshynMichael W. GeisMark A. Hollis
H10P 14/3406H10P 14/24H10D 62/8303C01B 32/28C30B 25/02C30B 29/04B01J 19/127C01P 2006/40C30B 33/00B01J 2219/1203B01J 2219/0879B01J 19/123H01L 29/0843H01L 21/0262H01L 21/0405H01L 21/02527H01L 29/1075H01L 29/1602H10D 48/031H10D 30/00H10D 62/357H10D 62/149H10D 30/60
39
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Claims

Abstract

New compositions of matter and device constructs are disclosed in the form of diamond material layers or films having one or more surfaces treated with chemically active radicals, e.g., photo-radical or thermal-radical generators to reduce and stabilize their surface resistance. The compositions exhibit stable, markedly lower surface resistances, e.g., below about 3 kΩ sq −1 or between about 3 and 2 kΩ sq −1 or below 2 kΩ sq −1 , or below 1 kΩ sq −1 , or lower. In certain embodiments, the diamond material is a epitaxial layer grown on a substrate, e.g., by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and can have a thickness ranging from about 1 nm to 1 mm, preferably from about 10 nm to 500 μm, or from about 100 nm to 10 μm. The invention also encompasses semiconductor devices fabricated from the surface-modified diamond materials disclosed herein. For example, device can be a field effect transistor in which the diamond material provides a hole conductivity channel between a source region and a drain region that is activated by a voltage applied to an intermediate gate region. Methods are also disclosed for modifying diamond surfaces to decrease and stabilize their surface resistance.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A diamond material suitable for use in semiconductor devices derived by treating a hydrogenated diamond surface such that it exhibits a stable surface resistance below about 3 kΩ sq −1 . 
     
     
         2 . The diamond material of  claim 1  wherein the material is a epitaxial layer grown on a substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The diamond material of  claim 1  wherein the material is a epitaxial layer having a thickness ranging from 1 nm to 1 mm, or optionally 10 nm to 10 μm. 
     
     
         4 . The diamond material of  claim 1  wherein the material is a epitaxial layer grown by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD). 
     
     
         5 . The diamond material of  claim 1  wherein some portion of the hydrogenated diamond surface exhibits a loss of hydrogen atoms. 
     
     
         6 . The diamond material of  claim 1  wherein the surface is further characterized by double bonds between superficial carbon atoms. 
     
     
         7 . The diamond material of  claim 6  wherein double bonds are formed by exposure to a chemically-active radical. 
     
     
         8 . The diamond material of  claim 1  wherein double bonds are formed by exposure to photo-radical or thermal-radical generator. 
     
     
         9 . The diamond material of  claim 1  wherein the diamond material has at least a portion of its surface activated by incorporation of a surface-modifying radical. 
     
     
         10 . The diamond material of  claim 8  wherein the surface-modifying radical is an organic radical. 
     
     
         11 . The diamond material of  claim 8  wherein the surface-modifying radical is an alkyl or aromatic radical 
     
     
         12 . The diamond material of  claim 1  wherein the surface-modifying radical is selected from the group of benzoyl radicals and phosphineoxide radicals. 
     
     
         13 . The diamond material of  claim 1  wherein the surface-modifying radical forms an amine on the diamond surface. 
     
     
         14 . A semiconductor device incorporating the diamond material of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . The semiconductor device of  claim 14  wherein the device is a field effect transistor in which the diamond material provides a hole conductivity channel between a source region and a drain region that is activated by a voltage applied to an intermediate gate region. 
     
     
         16 . The semiconductor device of  claim 15  wherein the diamond material exhibits a gradation of surface resistance. 
     
     
         17 . A method of modifying a hydrogenated surface of a diamond material comprising treating the hydrogenated diamond surface with a chemically active radical to remove hydrogen atoms and form a negatively charged surface. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the method further comprises terminating the diamond surface with hydrogen prior to treating the surface with a chemical radical. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the surface-modifying radical induces an elimination reaction to remove at least some hydrogen atoms at the surface. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the surface-modifying radical induces formation of double-bonds between superficial carbon atoms in the diamond material. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the double bonds form fullerene-like structures at the surface. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the method further comprises modifying the surface of the diamond material by incorporating the chemical-active radical onto at least a portion of the diamond surface. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the surface-modifying radical is an organic radical. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the surface-modifying radical is an alkyl or aromatic radical 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the surface-modifying radical is selected from the group of benzoyl radicals and phosphineoxide radicals. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the surface-modifying radical forms an amine on the diamond surface. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the diamond surface attracts positive charges below the surface of the diamond material. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the method further comprises modifying the diamond surface with a radical by applying a radical generator to the surface following hydrogen termination. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the radical generator is a photo-radical generator. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the radical generator is a thermal radical generator. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the method further comprises exposing the radical generator to heat following application of the radical generator to the hydrogen-terminated, diamond surface. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the method further comprises exposing the radical generator to actinic radiation following application of the radical generator to the hydrogen-terminated, diamond surface. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the method further comprises selectively exposing portions of the surface to actinic radiation following application of the radical generator to the surface. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the method further comprises exposing the radical generator to actinic radiation having at least one wavelength in the range between 150 and 800 nm. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the method further comprises exposing the radical generator to actinic radiation having at least one wavelength in the range between 150 and 450 nm. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35  wherein the at least one wavelength is a wavelength selected from 157, 193, 248, 256, 365, 405, and 436 nms.

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